The document provides instructions for 12 different stability ball exercises: ball extensions, ball balance, butt lift, hip extension, ab roll, ball rotation, ball twist, lunge-leg squat, dip, and abdominal oblique crunch. Each exercise targets a different muscle group and involves positioning the body on or around the stability ball and performing controlled movements or holds to work the targeted muscles.
1. STABILITY BALL EXERCISES
Ball Extensions
Position the ball under your hips and lower torso with the knees
straight or bent. With hands behind the head , slowly roll down the
ball. Lift your chest off the ball, bringing your shoulders up until
your body is in a straight line. Don't hyperextend the back.
2. Ball Balance
Position the ball under your abs and hips, hands on the floor and
legs straight and off the floor. Hold that position for 20 to 30
seconds, keeping your body in a straight line, abs pulled in.
Keeping balance, slowly raise your right arm out to the side, taking
care not to roll or allow any part of your body to collapse. Hold
that for a few seconds and switch arms.
3. Butt Lift
Lie on the ball with the head, neck and shoulders supported, knees
bent and body in a table-top position. Lower the hips towards the
floor without rolling on the ball. Squeeze the glutes to raise hips
until body is in a straight line like a bridge. Hold weights on the
hips for added intensity and make sure you press through the heels
and not the toes.
4. Hip Extension
Lie down with feet heels propped on ball. Keeping abs tight,
slowly lift your hips off the floor (squeezing the glutes) until body
is in a straight line. Hold for a few seconds and lower. For added
intensity, lift the hips and then take one leg off the ball, hold for a
moment and lower. Repeat, lifting the other leg off the ball.
5. Ab Roll
Place your hands on the ball in front of you, arms parallel. Pulling
your belly button towards your spine and tightening your torso,
slowly roll forward, rolling the ball out as far as you can without
arching or straining the back. Push the elbows into the ball and
squeeze the abs to pull the body back to start. Avoid this move if
you have back problems.
6. Ball Rotation
Lie with ball under shoulders and lower back, arms straight up
over chest, palms together. Hold your body in a straight line from
hips to knees. Tightening your glutes and abs, slowly twist your
body to the left, sweeping arms parallel to the floor, then back up,
repeating on the other side. Try not to collapse the body or roll too
far, but really use your abs.
7. Ball Twist
Get into a pushup position with the feet on either side of the ball
(turning your ankles so that you are hugging the ball). Hold body
in a straight line with abs pulled in, hips straight and hands directly
under shoulders. Slowly twist the ball to the right while trying to
keep your shoulders level, then to the left. Don't sag in the middle.
8. Lunge-leg Squat
Stand on one leg and place the rear leg on the desired size of
BALL, maintaining neutral spine, your grounded foot should be
facing forward. (NOTE: The larger the ball, the more flexibility is
required!). Lower your body as low as can be controlled in
NEUTRAL SPINE and in optimal KNEE ALLIGNMENT Push
back to the top of the motion focusing on the on the glute.
9. Dip
Position yourself with the back of your lower calves balanced on
the stability ball. Place hands on a plank slightly lower than the
height of your ball. Hold on to the edge of your plank, fingers
towards your feet and hands shoulder width apart. Legs should be
straight and hips slightly bent. Slowly dip down so your elbows are
at approximately a forty degree angle. Slowly return to your
starting position and repeat.
10. Abdominal Oblique Crunch
Place your feet against a wall, if right hip is on the ball then left
foot must be forward of the ball. Place your hip high on the ball
and keep neck at 90 degrees to the shoulders. Starting in a 45
degree position to the wall, slowly lower your body down until
the arm almost touches the ball. Slowly return to starting
position and repeat, switching sides after one rep.